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Mistake-less Meals! Asian Noodle Bowls

by fitskitz on September 18, 2012

There are no limits on creativity or taste when creating Asian style noodle bowls.

Integrate vegetables INTO the meal instead of always on the side.

Asian style noodle bowls are healthy, delicious, and require no planning. Precisely why our family loves them so much. There are no rules. Get creative and use proteins and vegetables you have on hand.

Noodle dishes aren’t required to be Italian. Have fun picking out noodles at an Asian grocery. There are gazillions! They are typically lighter in flavor and calories than our “go to” spaghetti noodles. Chinese restaurants typically over sauce their dishes and the sodium content is through the roof! Homemade is so much better and can be cooked faster than you can get take-out.

More noodle bowl recipes in the future. Swapping out proteins or vegetables is encouraged! I do recommend stocking up on sesame seeds at the oriental market or even Costco! A great source of calcium for you and your children.

Cook udon noodles per package directions, drain and rinse. Stir fry the cubed tofu in oil until starts to brown. Add in the green pepper, garlic, and the garlic and ginger powder. Saute for a minute or two. Turn heat to low and mix in the Tamari sauce, sugar, lime juice, and nutritional yeast which acts as a thickener (and a good source of vitamin B-12). If you didn’t purchase toasted sesame seeds, you can toast them yourself in a dry skillet over low heat.

Plate the noodles and top with the cooked stir fry ingredients. Generously sprinkle chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds on top. (Variation: if you prefer tender green onions, you can add them to the stir fry toward the end to soften).

Chick’n Mandarin with Kale & Red Pepper

This baby is so packed with nutrition I can’t even begin to list all of the vitamins and nutrients! Looking at the photos I realized it would make a beautiful dinner around the holidays with vivid colors of red and green. It’s so simple it’s almost embarrassing:)

Cook brown rice noodles according to package directions, rinse and drain. Allow extra moisture from the cooked noodles to be absorbed on paper towels if using right away. Place frozen Chick’n Gardein in skillet with olive oil. Allow to soften (defrost) on medium heat. Turn up heat to brown on all sides. When chick’n begins to brown, add in the sauce packets provided in the packages. They will melt quickly and begin to form a glaze on the cutlets. Add in the kale and red pepper, reduce heat and allow the vegetables to soften to your liking. Add sesame seeds and stir. (You can steam the kale beforehand if you like it really soft).

Place the noodles in the bowl and top with skillet ingredients. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet just until you can smell their aroma. Sprinkle on top of the bowls.

If there was only smell-a-vision!

I’m a huge fan of one skillet meals that don’t require side dishes. Serve with a simple green salad if you’re really hungry.

Noodle dishes don’t have to be heavy and laden with cream. They can be light, hearty, full of flavor and a colorful masterpiece!

"Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently." Henry Ford

I purchase Gardein products at Target (135th & State Line and 119th & 69 Hwy) and Whole Foods. Whenever I see them on sale I stock up. Our family is madly in love with the Chick’n versions of this brand. So easy and no mess! I recommend cooking longer than the packages indicate.